Tourists and travelers for every other purpose may have to apply for a Vietnam visa online before entry into the country. This process can take between days to week and even months in some cases. Although, some people can still enter Vietnam without possession of any form of visa. They only have to be citizens or permanent residents of any visa-free countries to Vietnam.
There are many ways you can apply for a Vietnam visa. One is going to the embassy in your country and the other is by using visa free eligibility. Another way is known as applying online (some call it E-visa). In all these methods, the applicant must have a valid passport before going ahead to apply for a visa.
Who can apply for a Vietnam visa online?
Travelers from countries that are not part of the visa-free program must apply for a visa while traveling to Vietnam. However, travelers from. Countries like Cambodia, Brunei, Finland, France, Germany, Belarus, Italy, Kyrgyzstan, Lao, Norway, Philippines, UK, South Korea, Thailand, Russia and other countries can travel to Vietnam without a visa.
Furthermore, you also need to possess a valid visa if you are planning to enter Vietnam through the sea or land border. A Vietnam visa is not available to people who do not meet the minimum requirements for a visa. So, read on to the next paragraph and learn about the requirements for a visa application.
Requirements for Vietnam visa online Application
Provide all of these requirements and documents when applying for a visa. These requirements should all be valid with no single fault and the information they have must be up-to-date.
- Passport: provide an international passport with a minimum of 6 month validity and at least two empty pages.
- Passport photographs: recent and clear passport photographs with white background, 4×6 cm in size.
- Well filled application form: Download and fill the application form depending on the type of visa you are applying for.
- Sponsorship letter: this letter is from your employer or any other person sponsoring you for this trip.
- Invitation letter: provide a letter from someone inviting you to Vietnam
- Accommodation/hotel: provide a valid hotel accommodation which shows you have a place to stay while in Vietnam either for tourism or for studies.
- Proof of funds: show the visa officials that you have enough funds to finance your stay in vietnam. Again, you can show a letter from an organization showing their commitment to sponsor your stay.
- Health insurance: provide a valid health insurance package that will cover your stay in the country (when applicable).
All these documents may not apply to some visa types. So, you need to confirm the type of visa you should apply online before securing these documents.
Types of Vietnam visa
- Business visa: very popular visa among business owners and traders going to the country to conduct a business. Also, people going for business meetings will have to process this type of visa.
- Tourist visa: tourist visa is for travelers going to Vietnam for tourism or any other purpose that won’t take time. You should also note that people with tourist visas are not allowed to work in Vietnam.
- Work visa: this visa may require more documents including an offer letter to show you already have a job in Vietnam waiting for you.
- Students visa: this visa type is what people going for an internship should also apply for. Provide an admission letter in addition to the already mentioned documents when applying for this visa.
- Transit visa: visa for people who will not spend more than 3 days in Vietnam then continue their journey to their main destination.
How to Apply for Vietnam visa online
You won’t have the need to visit the embassy if you are traveling to Vietnam from an E-visa eligible country. The process of spending time at the embassy won’t border you again since it will be done online.
- Open the Vietnam immigration portal to commence your application.
- It will require you to provide some important documents like your passport. Scan your passport and upload it with your passport-sized photos in white background.
- Provide other important information on the online application form. Ensure they are real to avoid misunderstanding doing verification.
- Pay all the required fee of $25
- After payment, wait as they process your visa.
- It will take from 3 working days to 5 working days for your visa to be out.
- When it finally arrives, download a printed copy of it and take it with you when traveling.
How to Apply for Vietnam visa on arrival
When your country is eligible for a Vietnam visa on arrival then follow these simple steps to apply for it. Although it’s called a visa on arrival, you probably have to get a pre-approval letter before going ahead to apply for a visa.
- Apply for this pre-approval letter online using a legit agency. Mostly, you will need to follow this guidelines when applying for visa on arrival approval letter;
- Provide your passport information
- Make payment for this application
- Wait for this approval letter to be out in 2 to 4 working days.
- This letter will arrive in your email box, download a scan copy of it and print.
- Go to the immigration counter and the visa officer will stamp your passport with a visa. Also, you need to make a payment of $25 here depending on the type and validity of the visa you got.
Frequently asked questions
Who can apply for a Vietnam visa online?
The online option is only for people who are looking for short-term visas and are from eligible countries. Others who are not qualified for this may have to go to the embassy and apply for another type of visa.
How many days does it take to process a Vietnamese visa online?
It takes about 3 to 5 working days for your online visa to be out. In case of emergency, you can make use of expedited programs which will also cost more.
Is Vietnam visa free?
No, you have to pay for this visa and the cost depends on the type of visa you are processing online. Also, if you are looking for a three month visa then you probably have to pay more for it.
Conclusion
You can now apply for a Vietnam visa online using the E-visa service which is fast and reliable. No need to waste time going to the embassy when you can apply for a visa with your internet enabled device.